


How to get a boyfriend in 5 fool-proof steps, as learnt from a shoujo manga Yuta will never admit to have read

by IAmNotGoodatthisnamingthing



Category: NCT (Band), WAYV
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Awkward Romance, Fluff, My First Work in This Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:33:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23832424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmNotGoodatthisnamingthing/pseuds/IAmNotGoodatthisnamingthing
Summary: Your not-so-typical typical getting together story, featuring:Manly man Yuta, who has steps to follow and things to buyWinwin, the mostly oblivious and awfully adorable lead to our storyQian Kun, the self-appointed noble protector of WinwinieVarious members of the NCT collective, who are here with popcorn to witness the cringe and dumbasseryAnd of course Jaehyun aka Jeffrey, the chaotic good enabler of said dumbasseryOtherwise known as,Yuta struggles to woo Winwin, but somehow gets it right anyway? I know, we're all surprised
Relationships: Dong Si Cheng | WinWin/Nakamoto Yuta
Comments: 12
Kudos: 80





	How to get a boyfriend in 5 fool-proof steps, as learnt from a shoujo manga Yuta will never admit to have read

**Author's Note:**

> The inspiration came out of nowhere and I wrote this in the dead of the night, so apologies for typos beforehand :|
> 
> Also, why is WayV not automatically found as a fandom in the search? pfft

_ Step 1: Declare your intentions, so they know you’re interested  _

It’s the second term of Yuta’s second year at university, and he is having breakfast with his freshman roommate Jaehyun in a coffee shop off campus. Yuta is listlessly stirring his coffee while Jaehyun enthusiastically stuffs his face with pie, both of them pointedly ignoring the textbooks opened in front of them. 

Jaehyun, the roommate, just happens to be one of those obnoxiously good-looking people who don’t look like a chipmunk even with cheeks stuffed, and Yuta is more than used to the giggles Jaehyun’s stupid - dimpled - smile elicits from everyone around, but especially the doe-eyed barista at this particular cafe, who is leaning over the counter dreamily and blushing whenever Jaehyun so much as looks his way.

“I wish you would stop this cringe show and just ask him out already,” Yuta says, fed up after a month of watching barista bro stammer around Jaehyun in the cafe, and then suffering through Jaehyun gushing over the beauty of the guy for hours in their shared dorm room. 

Jaehyun decides to ignore his wonderful advice and instead presents him with a finger heart and a crooked grin, and only the mental reminder of having experienced Jaehyun’s slobby finals-week appearance last term stops Yuta from blushing like Jaehyun’s many ardent admirers around campus.

“Real mature,” Yuta rolls his eyes. “But seriously, the UST is real. If you can’t get your shit together, let me help you.”

“How would you even help?” Jaehyun scoffs, chugging down some water. “The only fulfilling relationship you have in your life is with your cactus, and I’m not even sure Takoyaki Prince enjoys your attention.”

“You take that back right now, Jeffrey,” Yuta scowls crossly, because how dare he bring Takoyaki Prince into this. “Takoyaki Prince is perfectly happy with me. And alive, which is more than what can be said for your sad attempts at keeping your last 4 goldfishes alive. If I have to flush down another dead fish for you, I’m breaking the aquarium bowl over your head.”

Jaehyun flips him off and Yuta shoves him, which devolves into the two of them bitchslapping one another. They only break off when someone clears their voice.

“Jaehyun?” a deep voice sounds from somewhere behind Yuta.

“Oh hey, Winwin!” Jaehyun greets, straightening up and smiling his friendly smile (as opposed to the impish dimple-popping smile he always sported for aforementioned barista bro). “What brings you here?”

“Kun ge wanted coffee before we go shopping,” the guy pronounces carefully, slowly as if Korean was not his native language.  _ No biggie, Yuta could relate _ .

With that thought, Yuta turns around to greet Jaehyun’s friend and his brain skidded to a stop because -  _ holy shit! Adonis himself has descended on Earth, and he has pink hair and a beret on his head. _

“Hyung, this is Winwin. He’s my classmate and he’s from China,” Jaehyun volunteers, gesturing between the two. “And Winwinie, this is Yuta hyung, my roommate from Japan.”

“Hi,” Adonis -  _ Winwin  _ \- smiles with the force of a thousand suns, and Yuta’s heart stutters because he’s only mortal. “I’m Sicheng, but everyone calls me Winwin. It’s nice to meet you.”

Yuta means to return the sentiment, because it is  _ really  _ nice to meet Winwin, but what comes out of his mouth instead is a breathless utterance of “Hi. Marry me.”

Winwin’s smile freezes as he wonders if he has heard right, Jaehyun’s head hits the table as he chokes on laughter, and Yuta can only stare with heart eyes as a guy with impressively angry eyebrows swoops in, glares at Yuta and drags Winwin away by slinging a hand around his elbow.

“Oh my god, you lame ass loser, what was that?” Jaehyun asks, wiping tears from his eyes, 5 minutes after Winwin and his glaring friend disappear from view.

“That, my friend, was step 1,” Yuta announces coolly, trying to save the vestiges of his dignity.

“Step 1 of what?” Jaehyun asks, trying to regulate his breathing back to normal.

“Of making Winwin my boyfriend, of course,” Yuta beams, not even minding when Jaehyun bursts into more peals of laughter and collapses on the ground. Because, you see, Yuta has plans. He’s been preparing for this ever since middle school when he stole his sister’s mangas and got well acquainted with romance. Winwin, he decides, is going to be his boyfriend. And all it will take is 5 fool-proof steps.

_ Step 2: Provide comfort, so they can feel at ease with you _

Despite their rocky, rather awkward, start, Winwin and Yuta do actually become friends. Mostly due to the friendship forged between Yuta and Kun, who it turns out is in 3 of Yuta’s classes and gets stuck with doing a year-end project partnered with Yuta.

It’s almost serendipitous, and Yuta counts his blessings, patiently sitting through Kun threatening him and his wayward intentions (Kun’s words, verbatim) towards sweet Sichengie, whose parents have entrusted Kun to care for their baby. Yuta assures him that his intentions aren’t wayward or flippant, and that he just has a twisted sense of humour. Kun elects to grudgingly believe him, as they set out to draft their project work. 

In under 3 weeks, Yuta manages to redeem Kun’s initial impression of him, proving to be a competent and responsible project partner. By the next weekend, he has scored an invite to go over to Kun and Winwin’s shared off-campus apartment for studying, and he puts on his most conservative clothes (khaki trousers and a bowling shirt he’s sure he stole off Jaehyun when he first moved into the dorm) before making his way to their place. 

Kun and Yuta go through six hours of study, solidifying the foundation of their project, before Kun notices the late hour and insists Yuta stay over for dinner. Yuta agrees readily, his stomach growling at the thought of food, and volunteers to help Kun cook. 

A disbelieving snort comes from the kitchen - where Winwin had been doing his own assignments - and that’s how Yuta finds out that Kun and Winwin’s idea of dinner is ordering in from the nearby Chinese restaurant. Yuta joins them for dinner anyway, sitting across from Kun and Winwin, and surreptitiously stealing glances at his self-proclaimed future-boyfriend between bites of orange chicken. Conversation flows, albeit a little stilted but that is to be expected from relative strangers, and Yuta finds out that Winwin majors in classical dance and is studying history on the side. 

Kun and Winwin, it turns out, grew up as neighbours, and elected to apply to the same foreign university in consecutive years, to retain some semblance of familiarity in a new place. Kun stresses that he takes his older brother duties extremely seriously, and Winwin laughingly reminds him that he’s not the only member of the Winwin Protection Squad.

All in all, it is fun to get to know the roommates and by the end of the night, Yuta has mustered up enough courage to ask Kun and Winwin to come over to his and Jaehyun’s dorm the next weekend, to have some home cooked food (and vegetables). Winwin smiles down at his place, toying with the last piece of chicken, and Kun stares an uncomfortably long time at Yuta before agreeing to the proposition.

Weekly study sessions followed by dinner become a thing between Kun and Yuta, and by extension their roommates, and in no time, they begin scheduling catchup meals on campus when time allows for it. 

Yuta eventually meets the Winwin Protection Squad, which includes an overtly flirty Thai boy named Ten, and a cute-looking senior named Taeil who specialises in close contact combat, and eventually grows to include Renjun, Mark and Haechan the following year. Yuta and Jaehyun, for their part, bring in Doyoung, barista bro who eventually becomes Jaehyun’s beau, and Taeyong, and Lucas and Lucas’ boyfriend Jungwoo, who Doyoung calls dibs on as his child, and so god help anyone who decides to hurt Jungwoo because Doyoung knew his way around knives, okay?

Despite their idiosyncrasies, or perhaps because of it, the group gel remarkably well together, often breaking off into smaller groups to hang out separately. But Saturday night communal dinners become a thing, with everyone either crowding tables at some fast food restaurants or overtaking the floor at one of their many dorms or apartments, and that becomes a rite of passage for the group. (Along with laughing at Yuta’s first meeting with Winwin, courtesy of Jaehyun being a petty bitch and overly invested in embarrassing Yuta).

Winwin, Yuta observes, is quiet but kind, helping others in subtle ways without expecting thanks in return. He looks the happiest when he’s dancing on stage, and smiles wistfully when a Chinese song plays on the radio. He’s most comfortable when he talks in his native Mandarin, but he throws himself into learning Korean, thriving under the patient tutelage of Taeyong. 

His smile still makes Yuta’s heart stutter, but Yuta gets better at talking to him, under the guise of fetching coffee before classes, or relaxing with a warm cup of green tea at the end of the day, conversation flowing between them in bits and burst, as they pore over their books under the watchful eye of Kun and sometimes Taeyong.

Yuta doesn’t seem to be making much progress with his plans of wifing up Winwin (Jeffrey’s words, not his; Yuta would never adhere to such heteronormative classifications), but they do get closer, understanding each other’s silences and homesick sighs better than the others.

Bad days are inevitable, but Yuta has never seen Winwin act frustrated until one fateful evening when Yuta’s in his third year (and now voluntarily partnering with Kun on projects for shared classes). He’s studying in Kun’s living room along with Ten, Renjun and Haechan, when Winwin bursts into the house and beelines straight for his room without saying hi to any of them. 

This has never happened before, so the quartet stare at one another wondering what to do. Kun is out with Taeyong and Doyoung, and none of them want to disturb him, given how stressed he’d looked after his last exam. After a long minute of deliberation, Yuta volunteers to check on their friend, and the other three only wish him luck.

He shuffles to Winwin’s door, taking a deep breath before knocking. When there’s no answer even after a couple of knocks, Yuta takes a chance and turns the knob, happily discovering that it’s unlocked. “Hey,” he says softly, letting himself into the dimly lit room and studying the prone figure of Winwin lying facedown on his bed. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Winwin supplies, barely turning his head so that his voice doesn’t come out muffled. “I’m fine, you don’t need to worry.” The dismissal is clear, but Yuta can hear the sadness in Winwin’s voice. And simply put, he doesn’t want to leave. Not because he’s romantically interested, but because Winwin is his friend, the personification of a beaming sunflower, and sunflowers should never wilt.

“Winko, I can see you’re upset,” Yuta uses his special nickname to wheedle. “Come on, talk to me, it might help.”

Winwin huffs into his pillow, mumbling for a while before sitting up and looking at Yuta listlessly. Although his face is devoid of expression, there are tears glistening on his lashes, and Yuta doesn’t think, doesn’t stop to consider, before he’s crossing the distance between them and folding Winwin into a gentle hug.

“Winwinie,” Yuta tries again, barely talking above a whisper. “I’m here for you, let me share your burden. Talk to me, please.”

Winwin, who hates being touched and leaps away from Taeil and Haechan whenever they try to initiate a hug, only sighs before wrapping bony arms around Yuta and pulling him down on the bed.

“Can we stay like this for a while?” Winwin asks in a small voice.

“Of course. Whatever you want,” Yuta promises, shifting them so they are lying side by side, still wrapped in a loose embrace. He hopes that Winwin can’t detect the staccato beat of his heart or feel him sniffing the scent of Winwin’s strawberry shampoo every few seconds.

“Honestly nothing happened,” Winwin says, after a while spent in companionable silence. “I just have hit a wall with my performance, and I can’t find inspiration.” And after a pause, “I miss home. Not the place, but the feeling. You know?”

“I think I know what you mean,” Yuta whispers, brushing a hand over Winwin’s back. “I don’t particularly miss being in Osaka, but then I hear someone speak in my dialect, or smell yakisoba at some street corner. Or even just the sight of cherry blossom sometimes. It makes me ache.”

Winwin hums something under his breath, snuggling closer to Yuta, fingers coming to play with the hem of his tee. “I’m glad you understand,” he whispers in the space between them. “I’m glad you came to check on me.”

“Always, Winko,” Yuta promises. “Now I know you’re tired and sad, but you should take a shower. Kun once mentioned you can’t sleep without showering.”

“I will. In a while,” Winwin replies. “Can we rest for a bit?”

“Let’s rest for a while,” Yuta says, closing his eyes and humming the tune of the first song that comes to his mind.

It takes him a good few minutes to realise he’s humming the chorus of Chasing Cars, but by that time Winwin has fallen asleep so Yuta too takes the liberty of succumbing to a nap. It’s not till the next day, when he walks out of the room to find Kun in the kitchen studying him with an indescribable expression that he realises...that the last thing he’d felt before falling asleep was Winwin nuzzling a pleased smile in the space between his arm and shoulder.

_ Step 3: Establish your own little thing, it will be a sign that you’re desired back _

The moment he finishes the final exam of his final year at university, Yuta makes his way to the dorm he and Jaehyun has shared for the past 3 years, fully intent on napping for 16 hours straight. Fate, however, has other plans, because as soon as he’s changed into pajamas and flopped into bed, Mark and Haechan bang into his room and start screaming about some party.

Yuta wails, pleading for them to let him sleep, but the two only cackle and continue screaming. Fed up and sleep-deprived, Yuta is just about to unleash unmentionable curses at them when another voice joins the fray.

“Guys, let him nap for a bit. He looks like a zombie and we definitely need him alive for tonight,” Winwin says, and it’s a testament to how tired he is that Yuta doesn’t even try to raise his head and fix Winwin with a lovestruck look per usual.

Mark whines that they’d missed Yuta during the last week (courtesy of senior year exams extending a week beyond the other years) and they just wanna hang. Winwin appeases by promising that Yuta would dedicatedly spend an entire hour with Mark and Haechan tonight, but only and only if they let him nap.

“Is that a promise, Yuta hyung?” Haechan asks. “You’ll dedicate one hour to us?” Yuta grunts an approximation of yes, upon which the two hellions cheer and disappear out of his door (and the dorm) to go disturb Doyoung, who too just finished his exam earlier this morning (and was probably cuddling Jaehyun, blissfully unaware of the two menaces heading his way).

“Well, they’re gone,” Winwin says airily. Yuta groans, struggling to lift his head off the bed to get a look at Winwin.

Winwin’s hair is jet black, and he’s wearing a plain black tee over jeans, but he looks so wonderful Yuta can only sigh dreamily.

“Want me to leave?” Winwin asks, studying the bags under Yuta’s eyes.

“Of course not,” Yuta scoffs, scooting to the edge of his bed and holding his blanket open invitingly. “Come join me for a nap.”

Winwin, it seems, was waiting for this exact invitation, because his face blooms into a shy smile before he lowers himself into the bed and shuffles into Yuta’s space.

Them sleeping together, just sleeping (no need to get your panties in a bunch, Jeffrey), has become  _ a thing _ over the last year, ever since that one fateful night when Yuta had comforted Winwin. Winwin, although still quiet and introverted, has become more receptive to hugs and cuddles over the last year, and their whole group is (gleefully) reaping the benefits of it. But no one more than Yuta (well, except Kun. And Renjun. And maybe even Ten?), who has earned the privilege of sleeping in Winwin’s bed.

Plan make- senpai -Winwin-fall-in-love is moving glacially (if at all), but Yuta is more than content with how their friendship is progressing, gaining closeness with each cup of tea and every whispered conversation they share. He wants to be with Winwin, of course, but he thinks he'd be happy with what they have right now.

“I’m setting an alarm,” Winwin’s voice cuts into his reverie. “For 3 hours later. 1 hour should be enough for you to get ready, right?”

“Perfect,” Yuta agrees, affectionately squeezing the round of Winwin’s shoulder before sneaking the hand down to hold one of Winwin’s hands. “What is this party I’m being dragged to?”

“Just a quick dinner at Taeyong and Johnny hyungs’, to celebrate your, Doyoung hyung and Kun ge’s graduation,” Winwin shrugs, silently entwining their fingers (This, Yuta knows due to his subtle snooping, is only a privilege he’s allowed). “And then the kids want to hit a club and get drunk.”

“And you’re fine with Renjun getting drunk?” Yuta asks in amazement, knowing how quickly Winwin had adopted an almost paternal relationship with their younger friend, taking him under his wing and guiding him through university life.

“We all grow up, I guess,” Winwin sighs despondently, and Yuta can’t help but lean in to pinch Winwin’s (soft) cheek. “Speaking of growing up, have you decided what you’re doing next?”

“I’m going back to Osaka for a fortnight,” Yuta shrugs. “And then I’ll be back and interviewing for internships, like everyone else.”

“Any particular place you have your eye on?” Winwin hedges, knowing how tightlipped Yuta had been about his ambitions with the rest of the group.

“Tell you what, you’ll be the first to know if I score it,” Yuta promises. “Well, second. I have to tell my mom first. Actually third, I have to let my sister know too or she’ll throw a fit.”

“I guess I can live with that,” Winwin shrugs, and the both of them burst into soft chuckles.

“What are you doing over break?” Yuta asks, knowing Winwin has one more school year to go and a final-year exhibition to prepare for.

“I’m staying back,” Winwin announces, pulling the blankets closer to him. “There’s a bootcamp Yixing ge asked me to help with, and I’d like to pick up some techniques from him.”

“Come pick me up from the airport when I return?” Yuta prompts.

“Depends,” Winwin pauses to think. “What will I get in return?”

“My everlasting love?” Yuta jokes, but also not.

Winwin rolls his eyes, shoving at Yuta’s shoulder. “Just treat me to a meal at that new Thai restaurant that’s opened across town.”

“I can’t believe you’re choosing Tom Yum Koong and Pad Thai over my undying devotion,” Yuta pouts.

“Correction, I’m picking Phu Pad Phong and Mango Sticky Rice,” Winwin quips, naming his favourite dishes from what Ten and Lucas have treated the group to before. “Maybe even Thai Iced Tea?”

“Okay, that’s understandable then,” Yuta nods sagely, before his eyes meet Winwin’s, and then they both burst into laughter.

“Now, time for my beauty sleep,” Yuta says, once they’ve managed to calm down. 

“Sleep tight, hyung,” Winwin wishes, shifting till his head lies on Yuta’s pillow. 

“I’m glad you’ll be coming back to Seoul,” he says much later when he’s certain Yuta’s asleep. Yuta’s not, and he’s powerless to stop hope from blossoming in the warmth of his heart when Winwin gently squeezes their joined hands.

_ Step 4: Take care of their needs, so they know you mean business _

Yuta stares at the phone in his hand, a large smile overtaking his face without conscious effort.

“You know, your smile looks slightly deranged. I always knew you had potential for being a psycho killer,” Johnny - self-proclaimed beefcake and the dad-joking love-of-Taeyong’s-life - Suh comments, watching Yuta grin at his phone.

“Oh shut up,” Yuta replies in a low voice, aware of the professional setting they are in. “Let me have this moment.”

“What moment is this?” Johnny asks, loosening his tie and reclining back in his chair.

“I just got my first salary,” Yuta says, disbelief lining his voice. “I’m a contributing member of society now. How’s that for a moment, Suh?”

“Dude, that’s awesome!” Johnny smiles, big and happy. “I had forgotten when your internship period was ending. But, yo! We gotta celebrate!”

“We will! I’ll mail the group chat once I’ve digested this,” Yuta promises, eyes back on his phone. It seems almost unbelievable. Here he is, working for one of his dream organisations (referenced by none other than Johnny beefcake Suh), and he’s getting to learn while earning? How cool is that?

“You do that,” Johnny straightens up in his seat. “I’m going to go home and start on dinner. Yong will be coming home early today.”

“Have fun,” Yuta winks at him, earning a chuckle and a goodbye wave from the older man. 

“Oh, word of advice Nakamoto? Start a savings account,” Johnny advises, turning back. 

“Way ahead of you,” Yuta returns, having been forced to open a savings account in his final year of university by none other than his friend Kun. And speaking of Kun…

Yuta swipes out of the message app on his phone and into the call option before putting much thought behind his actions. He speed dials 3, and waits impatiently for the person on the other end to pick up. (Speed dial 2 is Jeffrey, of course.)

“Hyung, what’s wrong?” Winwin asks as soon as he picks up, because Yuta isn’t someone who calls, with chatting and voice notes being their main mode of communications.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Yuta assures. “Just wondering when you’d get home.”

“In about an hour?” Winwin hazards a guess. “But Kun ge is already home and probably crying over his masters’ workload, if you wanna drop by for tea or dinner.”

“Nah, I have an early call tomorrow, so not tonight. But I wanted to see you, so I’ll drop by, but not come up, ok?” Yuta proposes, a brilliant idea popping into his head.

“Are you sure nothing’s wrong?” Winwin asks, and in the background Yuta can hear someone calling for Winwin to go help. “You know what, we’ll talk when we meet. I gotta go now, Yangyang needs help. Meet me in the park near the apartment?”

“I’ll be there,” Yuta promises, before hanging up. Pumping his fist in the air, he giddily packs up his bag, ignoring his colleague Hansol’s questioning looks, and almost races out of the building.

(He’s glad that Kun and Winwin still live in their original apartment, because Yuta knows that if it were a place he was not familiar with like the back of his hand, his giddy distractibility would have gotten him lost plenty easily.) 

As it is, he makes it through the rush hour traffic and into the park near his friends’ house with 5 minutes to spare before the hour expires, but Winwin is already there, sitting on a bench and scuffling his sneakers against the ground, the dying embers of sunset painting his blonde hair into an angelic halo. Yuta has to stop for a moment to admire the beauty that is Winwin, and bury his adoration, before he feels ready to talk to him.

“Winko!” Yuta waves as he comes nearer, and is gratified to see the soft smile settling on the face of his moon-and-stars.

“Hey hyung,” Winwin greets, shifting to the side and patting the space next to him. “What’s up?”

“What’s up my guy is that,” Yuta begins, lowering himself on the bench and sitting close enough to Winwin to smell the sweet scent of his bath gel. “I have gotten my first salary!”

“That’s incredible, hyung!” Winwin beams, giving him a quick hug. “We have to celebrate!”

“We will, with the whole group next weekend. I sent a message to the group chat earlier,” Yuta says, before a teasing smile takes over his visage. “But I know you haven’t checked it yet, because you never check the group chat before dinner.”

“Too many messages, too much distraction for practice,” Winwin rolls his eyes, shoving Yuta’s shoulder lightly. “But if we’re celebrating next weekend, why are you here?”

“I wanted to tell you in person,” Yuta pouts. “Aren’t I important enough to have some of your time?”

“Well, I prefer Google calendar invites and setting meetings at least 12 hours in advance,” Winwin shrugs, a mischievous look in his eyes. “But I guess we can make an exception for you”.

“Good, I’m glad,” Yuta smiles. “Because I wanted to tell you in person, and have our own little celebration,” he says, lifting up the shopping bag he’d been carrying. 

He sees Winwin eye the bag with a serious look, so he jumps in to explain his food choices. “It’s not much, but I got us some strawberries and some unsweetened matcha. I know you’re dieting for your performance, otherwise I would have gotten something greasy. Is that...ok?” 

Winwin nods once, jerkily, sparing the bag a long look before focusing back on his face. “You got your first salary and you wanted to celebrate with me?”

Yuta nods, eyes dropping to his lap and a sudden shyness overcoming him, because he really hadn’t realised the implications of his actions yet. He was happy, and he had wanted Winwin to partake in his happiness, and so he had acted without much thought, in the end revealing his heartfelt intentions anyway.

“Nakamoto Yuta,” Winwin starts again, his eyes tracing every feature of Yuta’s face. “Are you trying to tell me something?”

Yuta desperately wants to say yes, because he’s been  _ trying to say something _ to Winwin for years now, but then he remembers the sad state of his savings account, and the upcoming tour to France with his dance troupe that Winwin was deliberating over the last time they’d talked, and the many things they have both yet to accomplish, and the resounding yes skids to a stop somewhere between his heart and his throat.

“Not yet, Winko,” he says instead, lifting his eyes to meet Winwin’s, and hoping that Winwin will be patient with him. “But I’m working up to it.” Winwin seems to get what he’s saying because he nods once, face still uncharacteristically serious, before his features soften and he tugs at the shopping bag. 

“Give me my damned strawberries,” Winwin says gruffly, reaching into the bag and extracting the box of strawberries. He carefully deleafs the biggest strawberry in the box and then holds it up to Yuta’s mouth. “To celebrating preludes,” he says softly, smiling when Yuta eats the fruit.

“To preludes,” Yuta returns, opening the bottle of matcha and extending it to Winwin, who accepts it with a look of devastating adoration on his face.

_ Step 5: Affirm your relationship, as that’s the only way to happily ever after _

It’s less than a week to the joint birthday party their friend group will be hosting for him and Winwin, and Yuta still doesn’t have a present for Winwin. 

Winwin is someone who always gives incredibly thoughtful gifts, and it’s his last year in university and Yuta wants to make this birthday meaningful for him, but here he is, giftless and out of ideas. To say he’s panicking would be an understatement. 

“This, this is why he hasn’t wifed Winwinie up yet,” Jaehyun provides unhelpfully, studying Yuta disinterestedly over the rim of his coffee cup and ignoring his muttered accusations of perpetuating heteronormative stereotypes.

“You know, when we first met, I thought he was going to be a lecherous fuckboy I’d need to protect Winwinie’s honour from,” Kun adds conversationally, frowning at Yuta from across the table. “It’s been 3 years, and my Winwinie hasn’t even gotten a kiss, much less a date from him. I’m starting to wish his intentions were lecherous.”

“The both of you are supremely unhelpful,” Yuta groans, plopping his head down on the table. He’d called Jaehyun and Kun to meet him at this cafe (his treat!) to brainstorm through gift ideas, but all they’d done since getting there has been clowning him.

“I don’t know why you’re panicking so bad,” Jaehyun says, in a no-nonsense manner. “It’s Winwinie, he’ll love whatever you get him, he’s half in love with you, after all.”

“You don’t know that, Jeffrey,” Yuta stutters, unable to help his face heating up at Jaehyun’s insinuations.

“But I do,” Kun pitches in. “Winwinie hasn’t gone with a date with anyone since whatever went down between you two in his second year,” he says, alluding to the night Winwin had been upset and Yuta had kept him company. “The boy is gone for you, Yu. It’s high time you make a move.”

“Why does everyone keep saying that?” Yuta groans yet again. “Johnny told me to man up and spit it out, Lucas recommended to write him a cheesy song, Doyoung told me to confess with a box of his favourite chocolates” - that’s how I scored Do-do, Jaehyun chimes in - “and Ten, he asked me to get Winwin a promise ring. Can you believe him?”

Jaehyun and Kun exchange a long look across the table before shrugging at him. 

“I mean, it’s not a bad idea,” Jaehyun says cautiously.

“And if you - excuse my words - wife him up, I wouldn’t be so stressed over protecting his honour anymore,” Kun shrugs, breaking an oatmeal cookie into two, and extending one half towards Yuta.

“I don’t know why I even bothered,” Yuta grumbles, munching angrily into the cookie. They let him stew for a good few minutes before diverting the topic and moving onto safer options, like hosting an intervention for Mark and Haechan to stop their constant PDA. By the end of the talk, Yuta is still lost on what to get Winwin. 

It doesn’t come to him until the evening of his own birthday. 

The group is set to celebrate together the next day, but Winwin calls Yuta over to his dance studio for a private celebration (with strawberries and matcha). Winwin is still in his dance gear, sweating and exhausted but still glowing under the studio lights, and Yuta listens to him attentively as he tapes yet another Hello Kitty bandaid over one of the bleeding blisters on Winwin’s feet. Between plopping a strawberry in his mouth and smoothing a soothing hand over the bend of Winwin’s ankle, the idea comes to Yuta. 

He  _ knows  _ what he’s getting Winwin for his birthday.

The birthday bash bonanza (Chenle’s words, not his) starts with breakfast at the group’s favourite pancake place. By now the group has expanded so much that they can’t squeeze in around one table anymore, so everyone scatters in little groups and mingles. Today, Yuta and Winwin are at different tables, but he doesn’t mind, because they’ll suffer through the birthday bash bonanza activities together later anyway (and they’ll meet, yet again tomorrow, to celebrate Winwin’s birthday by sharing a private meal at Winwin’s favourite restaurant).

The party somehow manages to be exponentially more of a wreck than it was last year. Renjun acquires a karaoke machine from a friend of a friend, and Taeil brandishes bottles of Mezcal he’s gotten from sources that shall remain unknown. Taeyong, bless his heart, bakes a perfect little cake, the icing on which gets ruined because one of the kids (who shall remain unnamed) had accidentally sat on the box when they’d been playing mafia earlier, and left a butt shaped imprint on the cake. 

As soon as Haechan finishes singing his third Ariana Grande song of the day, Doyoung takes charge and insists that the birthday speeches and gift giving commences. Between Mark delivering the sweetest speech and Johnny placing paper crowns on their heads, Yuta sneaks his hand into Winwin’s lap, and is rewarded by Winwin entwining their fingers together.

The last gift exchange, as per tradition, is between the birthday boys themselves. Winwin digs around his backpack and extends two wrapped packages towards Yuta, who tears through the wrapper excitedly to reveal a book he’d been planning to read, and a woolen scarf bearing the emblem of his favourite football club to prevent him from catching cold (because Winwin is thoughtful like that).

Yuta nervously places his gift box in Winwin’s hands, aware that half the room has been subjected to his whining over the past month during his hunt for the perfect gift. Winwin, unlike him, takes his time opening the wrapping carefully, and folding it, before opening his gift box. And then he just stares into it. 

Yuta’s heart plummets. Has he messed up somehow?

“It’s,” he begins nervously. “A care package for your feet. Herbal salve and moleskin for your blisters, a stitching kit for your ballet shoes, some bath salts and padding gear to take care of your feet,” he explains, knowing he’s about to start rambling. “Your feet are always bleeding from dancing, and the shop person promised the kit will help soften the shoes for wear. I was going to get you the salve anyway, but I - I thought it tied up nicely all together. Because you feel the most free when you’re dancing and I don’t want you to be in pain. I jus-.”

“Yuta hyung?” Winwin finally speaks up, placing the box on the table and cutting short Yuta’s ramble. Yuta is about to share how he still has the receipt and Winwin can exchange the gift if he likes, and avoid Yuta for the rest of his life, when Winwin surges towards him, and wraps him in a tight hug. Stunned, it takes Yuta a few seconds to reciprocate, and bury his head in Winwin’s shoulder, snaking his arms around Winwin’s waist and just holding tight. 

It is an infinite moment before they disengage, and then Winwin thanks him profusely, happy tears glittering upon his eyelashes. “Thank you,” he says softly, meaningfully. “It just, it means a lot, especially coming from you. I didn’t think anyone noticed.”

Yuta is about to say something along the lines of  _ I always notice you _ or  _ I can’t help but notice you _ , but right at that moment Jisung lets out an almighty sneeze, forcing the bubble around them to burst. Startled, Yuta looks around the room to find half of their friends looking at them softly (and the other half balefully glaring at poor Jisung for running the moment).

“Right,” Johnny claps. “That was...yeah. We should drink now. Who wants chicken wings?” Cheers erupt, and then Taeil is charging at Yuta and plying him with tequila. And then Chenle and Jaemin line up, to feed him a drumette and a slice of cake respectively, and oh, he hasn’t seen Ten in months, they need to totally catch up. They socialise amongst themselves, singing karaoke, and drinking more than any of them should, and stuffing their faces with cake, and it’s almost 2 hours later when Yuta sweeps his eyes across the room, and finds Winwin missing.

Kun waves at him, claiming his attention, and then points out to the balcony. Yuta nods at him gratefully, before snagging a bottle of chilled water from the fridge and walking over to the balcony.

At first, all Yuta can notice is the view outside, a starry night blanketing the Seoul skyline, and feel the light breeze cooling his skin pleasing to his senses. But then he looks to his left, and there Winwin is, sitting on the armchair and hands fiddling with the makeshift necklace of candies Johnny had slung across both their necks earlier.

“Hey Winko,” Yuta greets, drawing closer like a moth drawn to a flame. “Party not up to your taste?”

“Wanted some fresh air, and some space to think,” Winwin explains easily, slinging his legs over one arm of the armchair, to create sitting space for Yuta. It’s a tight squeeze, but neither of them mind, as they settle down and study the night sky together, their silence accented by the booming bass from the karaoke inside.

“Your gift earlier,” Winwin begins. “It was very thoughtful. I really liked it.”

“I’m glad,” Yuta proclaims, drawing a hand across Winwin’s waist and pulling him across his lap to sit more comfortably. Winwin doesn’t reply, instead opting to capture Yuta’s free hand between the both of his, to play with his many rings.

“I have one more gift for you,” Winwin says after a while. “But I don’t know if you’d want it now.”

“If it’s from you, I’d take even poison,” Yuta jokes, but also not. Because,  _ yeah he would _ .

“It’s not poison,” Winwin reassures, patting his shoulder. “Now you have to close your eyes, okay?”

“I’m trusting you not to stab me or something,” Yuta snarks, closing his eyes anyway. He hears Winwin scoff, the warmth from his breathy exhale feeling far too close, and then - _ holy shit! Winwin is pressing the most careful of kisses against his lips! _

Winwin is in fact kissing him, gently applying pressure against his lips for an infinite second before withdrawing. Or well, trying to withdraw, because damned if Yuta will let this opportunity slide away. He surges closer to Winwin, slotting their mouths together again and deepening their kiss. It’s perfect, it’s delicate, and Yuta hopes to live in this singular moment for the rest of eternity.

It is the unfortunate but necessary need to breathe that finally forces them to separate.

“Damn it, Winko,” Yuta bites out as soon as his brain-to-mouth filter restarts. “Did you have to steal my thunder? I was going to ask you out soon, you know. I wanted to do this in a restaurant with classical music playing, or like in a theatre, after a date.” 

“You were taking too long,” Winwin teases, fingers coming up to play with strands of Yuta’s hair. “I was forced to take matters into my hand, and  _ do something _ before I lost my mind.”

“So you like me back?” Yuta hazards an educated guess.

“Well, duh,” Winwin deadpans, looking at him like he’s an idiot. And well, maybe he is, but only for his Winko, okay?

“Holy shit!” Yuta exclaims, the tempest in his mind subsiding to leave behind only clarity. 

“Holy shit, dude!  _ Finally _ !” Another voice crows from the balcony’s entrance, and Yuta swivels his head towards the intruder only to find Jaehyun beaming at them.

“Leave, Jeffrey,” Yuta orders crossly. “We are having a moment, and you’re interrupting.”

Jaehyun rolls his eyes, but takes his leave anyway (to go gush at Kun and Doyoung), but only after showing Yuta his middle finger, because ex-roommates and best-friends were allowed to be petty like that.

“I’ve been wondering for a while,” Winwin says, once the sliding door swings shut after Jaehyun. “Why is he Jeffrey?”

“How about you let me take you out on a date, and then I’ll explain?” Yuta returns smoothly.

“Well, we have that thing tomorrow,” Winwin says airily.

“We are not going to treat our pre-planned meal as our first date,” Yuta insists.

“Hate to break it to you, but we’ve been going on these pre-planned meals by ourselves  _ aka dates _ for a good two years now,” Winwin quips dryly.

“Holy shit, Winko! We’ve been dating!” Yuta exclaims, before frowning. “But the manga said dating comes only af-” the rest of his words cut off with Winwin kissing him again.

“You were talking too much,” Winwin explains between kisses. “Talk tomorrow, on our date. Kiss now.”

And who was Yuta to deny the demands of  _ his boyfriend _ .

**Author's Note:**

> And that was that! My first foray into NCT fanfic! I'd love to hear what you thought of this!


End file.
